Bluff Regatta.

Southland Times, Issue 90106, 4 January 1886, Page 2

Bluff Regatta.

Judges : Captains Bae and Mmm : Ump're : Mr J. T. Martin ; Starter : Mr W. Gifford This annual holiday eyept r 'wbiqh generally attracts the bulk of our pleasure., seekers on the second day of each year, . was rather unfortunate in the matter, of weathei on -this occasion. But whether; .each* householder keeps a barometer which t -rid him that things meteorological were : not to be so, bad as they looked, or ; whether, hiving made up their minds to, go to they Blcffj go the wpuld,vno matterT what the weather was to be, certain it is that so man j persons never travelled ovcr£ 'the line on one day 'as there did on Satur;^ day. The early train was' literally ; crammed,, and even after rain began to fall the people poured into the station for succeeding trains, until 5600 had booked for the port, cr rather mote than tbe entire population *ofl Idvercargill This heavy demand r upon the Department was., very fairly met, except in the matter of vehicular accommodation ; many hundreds being forced to travel in open waggons, without even the shelter of a tarpaulin from the rather too bracing wind. No mishap for which the officials were responsible occurred. Arrived at the port most of. the excursionists made their way to the wharf with the intention to see the aquatic sports and contests, but these came on so slowly that a very large nnmber betook themselves " away to the hill, to the lea, to the rock" for the remainder of the day. And here it may be said, that apart altogether from the weather difficulty, there was a total absence of management of the affairs of the regatta. Not being in possession of a list of the committee, we cannot say how many members of it were present to take active interest, and so endeavour to give some return for. the very handsome patronage extended to the port'B annual sports. But this we' can say— that but for-the efforts of. the four jolly skippers of the Ardendee, Alcestis, Pareora, and Thurso— Captains Rae, Munn, Bungard, and Scoullar — and Mr T. J. Thompson (who is not a membsr of the committee), the affair would have expired of sheer inanition. As it was, only eight events out of sixteen on the programme were got off. and some of these in a way that interested but very few of those present. It will pror bably be said that the weather stopped the remainder of the events, if so, we can only rejoin that on the whole it did not blow any harder than it did last year, and that there was a spell of almost dead calm till 1 p.m. . But to return to theregatta. The shipping in port — quite a respectable shbw--were tricked oat in their maritime milli- i nery, and the flagship Ardendee. and the Thurso were provided with awnings and J weather oloths, whioh proved very useful as shelter from the fresh westerly breeze. Indeed the masters and officers of ail the vessels at tbe wbarf allowed the fullest liberty on board, and thereby added greatly to the enjoyment of the Bightseers. The first event taken up was the open cutter race for which the Hananui (Gilroy), Ariel (Waddel), Dolly Varden (Williamson), and Alarm (Roberts), only entered. A start was made with a very light air, the Alarm being quickest away. ; The race was anybody's till the strong westerly breeZie which continued for the rest of the day sprung up, The vessels were then outside, and as it was blowing a complete drift it was impossible to note ; their positions. The Ariel was first round the buoy of the flagship, with, the Hananui well up and going along as stiff as a church. The Alarm shortly afterwards retired ; the Dolly Varden following her next time round. On the second round the Hananui had taken first place by about two hundred yards, and although Waddell carried on gamely with a whole mainsail and an uncomfortable amonnt of copper in view, the greater grip of the water held by Mr Roberta' new craft made it impossible to alter the positions, and the Hananui took the LSO ; Ariel, second. The entrants for tbe dingy race were fonr in number, and a good race resulted ; H. Beer (Violet) securing rirst prize (L 3) by a few feet from Boniface (Picniu) ; Roderique, third. The handicapped cutter race did not come off. The next event was the four- oared race (amateurs) for which the following were the entries t — Awarua B. O.s Awarusi Shepheird (bow), C. Bradshaw, Spencer, McQuarrie (stroke), Spencer (cox). Riverton B. C.B Surprise : J. Roderique, E. Roderique, Beer, and Green (stroke), Pankhurst (cox). Invercargill B. C : Worthington (bow), Booth, Cox, McPherson (stroke), Clare (cox). The Surprise was a different type of boat to those of the other competitors, being a clinker - built gig, and was apparently entered on the off chance of lumpy water .interfering with her more fragile antago- ( nistß. A second prize of L 5 was added. The Awarua had decidedly the best of <he start, as thelnvercargill men were backing in response to orders when tbe gun fired, while the Surprise, being outside, had rougher water to contend with. The Bluff men speedily improved their position, and were fortunate in reaching the turning point before the strong breeze came rushing down upon tbe boats from over the low land at the Ocean Beach. It was then seen that the boats, especially the latter two were in difficulties, and much anxiety was felt for the safety of their crews, the more especially as the pick-up boat, a large one, with only two men pulling, was seen to be helplessly drifting to leeward. The return of the racers was eagerly watched, and when the crew of the Awarua were seen to jump out of her into the water as soon as they passed the line . more earnest attention was (riven to the other two far astern. The Surprise, thanks to her more weatherly build, managed to complete the course, but the Invercargill crew, apparently desiring to reach the shore, got into the trough of the sea, and their boat was with difficulty brought inside of the wharf, where, she turned over. Fortunately this unpleasant termination occurred close to the Sarah and Maryland able and willing help- was speedily given to the immersed crew; 1 The ship's gig race was a^tttbboroly contested affair, and victory seemed to go with the build of the boat rather to. tfee tbewg aa4 giaews eg tjs oar^ea »

. —hearty-looking fellows all. Tbe boats froja|;;tbe Pareora and Alcestis seemed to ihaveCito "go" in them, and lifted half--:feeeL.out;of the water. The Thureo's and Ajdenfle'e's crews had a great advantage in opZp¥ sheltered berthß to start from, and itfogy-itopt the lead throughout, the former's boat winning the only prize (L 6) after a very rough experience open Bailing boat race, which r ,foi« Hawed, was a gift to; Waddel?s>Aw»reM the only other entrants—the Bluff Navala** JPip^iS^J.J&i-War^) and Lone Hand(E". Dixon) givingl.pT The latter mean?® dered about for ajiitle> while, then drifted down tbe harbour to leeward like a crabr jThe PiuaforeTinade a better, fight jfor is Jbnt did not show up so well iff list fiM | when she took first place. The J§cs|w |l ja very rough and somewhat"" h^zCrao'll 'One, and MrlWaddel's handliggio^iif^if was much admired. The dock hunt! proved a very brief affair, Roderiquey the 1 id uek, scarcely getting a. start in the rough Iwater rwhen/sthge pn\y - boat r entered, .oyej;took his dingy. .He took to the water/ but.* I was. soon captured. The greasy pole.did^ not attract niach attention} and it was bnly^ by considerable beating up that competitors were got; The flag wife removed by" ;two of these—alter a' fa'shion^twp' of 'them reaching; if as a subject approaches an Eastern potentate. '• " The : third -made a good daeh for the flag, 'after the otheraT had transferred most of the grease to their clothes and took it away fairly. However, • as it-was thojagh^ that all had provided much-needed amusement, the money (L 3) was divided^ the tub racej which came off after most of tfie spectators had betaken themselves to the train, (Here were four entHeßl Dan Scollay, 1 who took the jprize last year, was again ; successful ; CSi jMcLaughlan being second. None of the js wimming matches came off, neither did ithe ladies' jandA boys' id.ingy > races, the : water being too rough for the latter. For < the came reason the model race was* postppneaT^ ;-'■'/ •'. ■■." ■•;; ;"~\ : ' s ' '' ••■'■' •'-•*■ -r,-o The moßt euccesßfbTibsfitution 1 itrfethr tug Awarua, which made f our ; tripß during 4 ;the day, carrying in all 1500 adults*iid children, Her receipts were about Ls?*' She; alep did some salvage^ a rooSt? 0 coaI taming several perßpeß^r^hp'^ttwi^ble^ j pleasure-seeking, having been picked jin* by her off Stdrling Point in iserrouß cllffi* cultiep; hiving swamped, .... At the close of ; theregatta as Dixon was returning \6' Te' Wais Point in n"iß boat Love Hand, she \ swamped, but a boat from tbe shore was • manned and speedily rescued, him. A meeting^ 6F th%^e£atta Committee will be held on Wedheßday,whenlt wifli ; be decided how and when the programme shall be completed. The A war ua Boating Club propose pulling the postponed pah> oared race on the New Biver Estuary, if agreeable to the lovercargiH Club} at an earJy date ; a course" that will commend i itself to those who witnessed the serious rißks the four-oared event oa Saturday. ■" ■.•■-■■' „/,./. ,